White Elephant Gifts Worth Fighting For
So you’re staring at your ugly sweater Christmas party invite. You keep re-reading the part about bringing a $15 gift for the white elephant gifts exchange game.
Your mind races with various ideas but you settle down in the comfort of knowing that with everything else you have going on during the holidays, there is a drug store not far from the party. You’ll just stop in and grab a plaid wearable blanket with sleeves, a gift bag and some tissue paper.
When the big day comes, everyone draws their numbers. The gift swap game begins and you wait anxiously to see who will pick your gift.
Finally, someone opens your contribution, gives the surprise face followed by the courtesy laugh that communicates, “Great… I got the gag gift this year.” What they know is that they are stuck with this gift and nobody’s going to steal it. The game is officially over for them.
You try and recover by making a joke like, “Hey, now you can go fishing and stay warm and cozy” ensuring that no one suspects you brought it. Especially when you are sitting with a gift card in your hand to your favorite coffee shop.
Be Prepared For Your White Elephant Gifts Party
Instead of making this gift a last-minute scramble, try bringing a white elephant gift worth fighting for. In my opinion, the best gift swaps typically involve way more stealing than gift opening.
You want your gift to make the party more fun and highly competitive. It’s entertaining to see people’s true competitive sides come out during a Yankee Swap or White Elephant exchange.
After much experience in these gift swaps, I’ve come up with a list of what I consider the top white elephant gifts worth fighting over. Your friends are probably different from mine, but if you see something you might fight over, consider it a good bet for the party. Here are some creative white elephant gift ideas.
1. White Elephant Gifts Prank Boxes W/ Legit Stuff Inside
These are super funny empty boxes for any gift swap party. I even bought one for my nephew one year. The outside cover displays some ridiculous or stupid kind of “As Seen On TV” parody product. But you can put a cool gift inside like movie tickets or gift cards.
They have MANY different kinds of boxes to choose from so be sure to check out all the ones they have on Amazon for less than $10.
You’ll find my top 5 favorites in the Amazon list below!
Thrifty Little Mom's Top 5 Prank Box White Elephant Gifts
These are empty boxes that you can fill with legit gifts. Ironically at many of the swaps I've attended, people thought these were real and did not proceed to open them. Another party guest stole it and opened it to find some really awesome legit stuff inside.
Prank Pack, Bathe & Brew Prank Gift BoxPranksters
This prank box features a coffee maker for your shower! Talk about multi-tasking.
Prank Pack, Tidy Tips Prank Gift Box
For those people in your life who LOVE to clean!
Prank Pack, 12,000 Pieces Jigsaw Puzzle Prank Gift Box
For those true puzzle lovers in your life. My favorite part is that it's 12,000 pieces and 99% of them are blue!
2. White Elephant Gifts Hilarious Adult Arts and Crafts and Comfort Items
Here are my favorites!
Thrifty Little Mom's Top 10 Arts, Crafts, & Comfort White Elephant Gifts
Funny, silly or fight-worthy gifts that have to do with art, crafting, and comfort.
People of Walmart.com Adult Coloring Book: Rolling Back Dignity
Because it exists I must put this on the list.
Nurse Life: A Snarky Adult Coloring Book
Apparently, Papertie Bleu sells snarky occupation coloring books for adults on Amazon that include:
- Nursing
- Preggers
- Lab Workers
- Doctors
- OB/GYN
- Psychiatrists/Therapists
- Dental Hygienists
These would be awesome for a work party!
What Teachers Really Want to Say But Can't: Swear Word Coloring Book
For those teachers in your life!
A Swear Word Coloring Book for Adults: Sweary AF:
For your potty mouth friends or for your non-potty mouth friends...
mermaker Pepperoni Pizza Blanket 2.0 Double Sided 71 inch for Adult and Kids
This is one of those gifts that might just piss somebody off, unless they are excited to re-gift this to someone they know.
NEWCOSPLAY Super Soft Faux Fur Throw Blanket Premium Sherpa Backing Warm and Cozy Throw Decorative for Bedroom Sofa Floor (Thick-Grey, Throw(40"x50"))
No, this is not "gag" in nature but let me just tell you... I've seen grown women literally throw down over sherpa blankets in gift swap games. It's a drama-inducing kind of gift.
Ryshman Personalized Flip Flop Socks Low Cut Ankle Socks (One Size, Red2)
This is the gift of a perfect permanent pedicure.
3. White Elephant Gifts Cool Gadgets Worth Fighting For
If you have a group of parents at the party, they will fight for these types of gifts as they make perfect supplemental gifts for their kids. Secretly all the dads just want to play with them.
Thrifty Little Mom Top 3 Cool Gadget White Elephant Gifts
Now when it comes to fighting for white elephant gifts at a swap, technology often brings out the fight in both moms who see it as a potential re-gift to a kid or the men folk. It's a toss up.
BUG-A-SALT 3.0, Yellow
Think of this as what the Terminator would use to kill household flys. It actually works and we have one on our kitchen counter. You fill the holder with salt and this gun acts like a Nerf gun that you use to shoot salt (instead of Nerf bullets) at flys and kill them. It's like a salt shotgun. WE LOVE IT!
Holyton HT02 Mini Drone for Kids Beginners
Mini remote control flying machines always seem to get people fighting over the white elephant pick. From helicopters to mini-drones these are fun gifts to swap.
RAK Universal Socket Tool - Set of 2 Gadgets with 1/4-to-3/4-inch Wrench Grip
This socket attachment is "designed to attach to most 1/4" to 3/4" (7mm to 9mm) bolts, nuts, screws, and other oddly shaped fasteners, with over 125lbs of torque". Whichs means you won't have to constantly switch out the socket. Click and watch the video to see how it works.
Portable Bluetooth Speakers for Poolside, Boats and Excercise
These little items are super useful! You charge them up and take them with you to charge your mobile phone or tablet when an electrical outlet or car charger isn’t available.
Cool Phone Accessories-
Solar phone charger for when you are deep in the woods and need to make call.
This 3 in 1 Cell Phone Camera Lens kit is one of the most popular gifts that I suggest from this post. People really love this gift idea for some reason. Maybe it’s because it’s useful and fun!
Now you can fully embrace your inner Chuck Norris, Baer Grills or MacGyver with a tactical kit.
These gifts all involve creative takes on alcohol kind of gifts —- useable but just weird enough to start conversations at your party!
Parody Products iDrink Cell Phone Flask, 4.5oz
– Cell flask is the way to go….
XIKEZAN Upgraded Unisex Knit Bluetooth Beanie Hat Headphones V4.2 Unique Christmas Tech Gifts for Men/Dad/Women/Mom/Teen Boys/Girls Stocking Stuffer w/Built-in Stereo Speakers (Black )
-For the people who don’t want their head to get cold while they listen to music or talk on the phone. lol
This hot dog toaster is another one of my most popular gag gift suggestions and unlike the gag boxes this is a real thing in real life!
Nostalgia HDT600RETRORED Retro Series Pop-Up Hot Dog Toaster
– because this is a real thing…. lol
Better yet, how about Bob Ross?
Uncanny Brands Bob Ross Waffle Maker – Bob’s Iconic Face on Your Waffles – Waffle Iron
4. White Elephant Gifts Fun Mugs, Glasses & Booze Worth Fighting For
Everyone has so many mugs that they are bound to be a drag but if they are funny and someone relates to them, they will be worth fighting over. In fact, throw in a bottle of wine, a bottle of liquor, a bag of Starbucks coffee, Starbucks Gift Card or beer and you just kicked its attractiveness up a notch!!!
Host Wine Freeze Cooling Cups, Multicolor (Set of 4)
BigMouth Inc. One Cup of Coffee Gigantic Mug, Funny Huge Ceramic Gag Gift for Coffee Lovers, Holds up to 64 oz.
Oh my word this mug is not only hilarious, it’s gigantic and might just drink out of it everyday lol.
Eitly Might Be Wine Mug, 11 oz
– these also come in other alcohol varieties. lol
Seriously, these Camera lens mugs look super real. In fact I once had a friend pick mine up and put it somewhere safe because she thought it was my real camera lens!!! LOL
Hamilton Beach 25477 Breakfast Electric Sandwich Maker, Black
6. Giant Candy Worth Fighting For
These ridiculously giant candies can be both funny and worth fighting someone over. If I could find a giant Twix bar it would be on like Donkey Kong for me and whoever tried to take it.
SNICKERS Slice n’ Share Giant Chocolate Candy Bar 1-Pound Bar
CHARM GIANT BLOW POP shaped container holds 8 Multi Flavored Hard Candy Lollipops (Single)
Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Holiday 1 Pound Pack, Pack of 2
7. Clothing & Accessories Worth Fighting For
Turn into a Ninja Flip T Shirt Cool Fighter Disguise Funny Shirts – The front side of the shirt says, “Ask me about my ninja disguise” and then you flip it over your head and you are a ninja!!! Freakin’ awesome.
Dad Bag Fake Belly Waist Pack Unisex Fanny Pack Waist Stash with Adjustable Belt
– Because who doesn’t want to strap this one just to see how many people stare. lol
8. Lottery Scratch Off Tickets with Candy, Coffee or Gift Cards Worth Fighting For
I think people fight for these because they hope and wish they win big! If you get lottery scratch off tickets, be sure that you pick up something to go with it so if/when the person wins nothing, they don’t feel totally cheated with their white elephants gifts exchange.
9. Gourmet Treat Gift Sets Worth Fighting For
There is something about nuts, olive oils and expensive candy that can make people at gift swaps go a little crazy. Maybe it’s because they know those are totally usable. Maybe it’s because they would never buy a $18 bottle Olive Oil themselves. Whatever the draw, people tend to really like these types of items at swaps.
10. Target the gift toward someone’s obsession!
If you know some of the people attending the party and you know what kind of stuff they are already obsessed with like – Sarcastic cat mugs, growlers, football cards or whatever it may be, intentionally find something you know they would fight tooth and nail for and watch their dark side come out.
I really hope this post has given you some creative inspiration for your upcoming holiday gift swap game. If you end up trying out a gift like what I’ve thrown out in this post I hope you find that it’s a White Elephant gift worth fighting for. Most importantly, have fun and make great memories with good friends.
Need More Gift Type Ideas?
- 14 Hilarious Yankee Swap Gift Ideas – Now, some people gave me a hard time about these gifts not being re-gifts or gag in nature so I created a second list for people looking for funny gifts instead of usable gifts.
- Finding the Perfect Gift for Guys
- 12 Fun & Easy Gift Exchange Themes
- 7 Most Romantic Gifts for Him
- 13 Gifts Ideas For Geeks
Kim Anderson is the organized chaos loving author behind the Thrifty Little Mom Blog. She helps other people who thrive in organized chaos to stress less, remember more and feel in control of their time, money, and home. Kim is the author of: Live, Save, Spend, Repeat: The Life You Want with the Money You Have. She’s been featured on Time.com, Money.com, Good Housekeeping, Women’s Day, and more!
